Pirate Party Ideas

 

 

Ahoy Maties!  Fun ideas to use in creating your own pirate birthday party.

 

Pirate party supplies from Amazon

Pirate Party Games
Fun Ideas for a Pirate Party
Activities
Pirate Party Favor Ideas
Food Ideas
Pirate Invitation Ideas
Decoration Ideas for a Pirate Parties 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pirate Party Games

Pirate Sword Race
You will need foam swords, plastic coins and two baskets or treasure boxes for this game.  The object is to race with a coin on the edge of the sword and place it in the treasure box.  Separate the kids into 2 teams and give each team a foam sword and an equal number of coins.  The first pirate in line takes a coin and places it on the sword blade and runs to the opposite side of the room and places it in their treasure chest.  They they run back and the next person in line does the same thing.  Continue until one team has all of their coins in the treasure chest.  If a child drops the coin as they are running to the treasure chest they must pick up the coin and go back to their team and begin again. 

 

Pirate Hook Relay
You will need plastic pirate hooks and twisted pretzels for this game.  Pirates use their hooks and try and move pretzels from one dish to the next dish using only the hook.  This game can be played individually or set up to be a relay race.  

Buried Treasure
You will need two kiddie pools or large tubs filled with sand, piggy banks or small containers and pennies.  Set out the pools and place the sand and pennies inside the pools.  Hide the pennies in the sand - 100 pennies in each pool is a good amount.   Have teams one by one run to the sand, dig through the sand and when they find a penny they run back to the starting line and place it in their piggy bank or container.   Give the pirates a time limit ( 5 - 7 minutes) to see how many coins they can collect in that time.   Play several rounds.  The pirates with the most money in their banks wins a small prize. 

 

Black Beards' Crew
This game is played like the game of tag except that the pirate who is "it" is called Black Beard.  When Black Beard touches a player and tags them they become part of his pirate crew.  Then Black Beard and his crew try and tag the other players collecting crew members as they tag the pirates. The last pirate to be tagged is the new Black Beard. 

 

 

Pirate Ship Bail
You will need 2 large tubs, 2 smaller buckets and sponges for this game.  The object of the game is to see which team can bail more water from their pirate ship using a sponge.  Separate the kids into two teams. Place two large tubs (or you can use one tub that sits in between both teams) at the starting line.  At the opposite end of the playing field set out two equal see through plastic containers.  Give each team a sponge and tell the first children in line to dip their sponge in the water and then run to the containers and squeeze out the water.   Then they run back to their team and the next person in line goes.  The winners are the team who fills their container first.
Variation:  Instead of sponges you can have the pirates use bandanas, spoons or cups with holes punched in the bottom.  

Pirate Cannonball War
You will need two pirate ships made from boxes, a large blue tarp and lots of black water balloons.  Separate the guests into two teams and have them stand behind their pirate ship.  Place the blue tarp on the ground between the ships for the water.  Give each team an equal amount of water balloons and have them throw their "cannonballs" and try and sink the other pirates ship. 

 

 

A Pirates Life Game
One player is the leader or the Pirate Captain.   The Pirate Captain calls out different actions (from the list provided).  The game can be played as an elimination game (the last person to do the action is out) or as a continuing game where new captains are chosen and everyone gets a turn to be the Pirate Captain.   Fast paced fun and a great way to get kids, tweens and teenagers moving and having fun!  Choose your favorite actions from the list below and go over them with the players so they know what motions they should do when the Captain calls out a command.

 

1.	Avast Ye landlubbers	Ship is sinking - all players must all climb onto one object  (couch, large chair, circle on floor).
2.	The Floor is Lava	Players must not touch the floor.
3.	Mermaid	Players lay on ground and flip their mermaid tail.
4.	Starboard Ho!	Run to the right side of the room.
5.	Treasure Island	3 players form a group - 1 player pretends to look at a map and the 2 others form an X on the ground.
6.	Port Go!	Run to the left side of the room.
7.	Crow's Nest	4 players form a group - 3 of them form a circle and the 4th stands inside.
8.	Arrrrrrg Matey!	Players hold one arm straight out and have a sword fight with another player.
9.	Peg Leg Charlie	Players hop on one foot until the next action.
10.	Weigh Anchor	3 players join hands in the middle and turn in a circle.
11.	Man Overboard	Players pretend to jump over the ship rail and bob in the water.
12.	Shark Attack	Players put both hands together on top of their head like a shark and swim around.
13.	Row your boat	3 players group together to make a boat.   2 players on each side and one player in the middle rowing.
14.	Climb the Rigging	Players use their arms and legs and pretend to climb.
15.	Captain on Deck	Players stand at attention and salute.
16.	Walk the Plank	Players lay on the ground in a plank position.
17.	We're lost Mateys!	Players get in groups of 3 and point north with their arms.
18.	Mutiny	When this action is called the first person to jump up and and yell Mutiny is the next Pirate Captain (if playing where everyone gets a turn).
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Party games for ages 7, 8 and 9

Party Games for 5 and 6 year olds

Birthday games for ages  10, 11, 12

 

 

 

Fun Ideas for a Pirate Birthday Party

Pirate Treasure Hunt Game
Set up a treasure hunt for the Pirate party guests.  Create a pirate map that looks like the floor plan of your house or party venue and have them start at one end of the map and with dotted lines lead them from one place to the next.  At each stop you can make the kids answer a question (pirate trivia), accomplish a task (build a 4 foot tower from blocks - see below for more ideas) or have pirate items waiting for them that they can put on like eye patches, vests, hats, etc. 

At the end of the treasure hunt place a treasure chest filled with pirate treasure ... or their goody bags that they get to take home from the party.  Things to do along the treasure hunt that will make the game more fun and last longer: Walk the Pirate Plank - You will need a large flat board and a blindfold.  Put the board on the floor and line up the party guests behind it.  The player who is first puts on the blindfold and they must walk from one end of the board to the other and then back again backwards without turning around.  If the step off the plank they have to start again. 

 

 

Pirate Booty Toss
Pirates must toss gold coins (plastic or gold wrapped chocolate) into a treasure chest.  To move to the next challenge in the treasure hunt the pirates must toss a set number of coins into the chest.  Give each pirate 10 coins and set the number they need in the pirate chest at 8 x the number of party guests. 

Pirate Face Painting
Make the party guests into pirates by painting on mustaches, sideburns, and beards with eye liner or face paint. 
 

Pirate Island Hop
Pirates use island shapes to move from one part of the room to the opposite side.  They have to move as a team by placing the island shapes on the ground (they only get 1 more island piece then they have players) and stepping onto them (one person on a piece at a time).  They then take the back piece and hand it down the line to the person in front who places it in front of the other pieces and moves ahead one step. Then all the players move forward one space and it continues until they reach the other side of the room.   Pirate Sword Duel -
You will need two low stepping stools or blocks of wood and two pool noodles for this game.  Place the stools facing each other about 2 - 3 feet apart.  Let the pirates take turns 2 at a time trying to knock each other off the stools with the pool noodle.  

 

Parrot Pirate Piñata
Fill a parrot piñata with prizes and small wrapped candy and also a clue for the next stop on the Pirate Treasure Hunt.   The stop before this could be a station where they decorate white or brown lunch sacks with pirate stickers so they will have something to collect the goodies in the piñata. 

Pirate Party Activities

Pirate Dress-up
Give the pirates items to make them look the part.  Set out lots of doo rags, clip on earrings, temporary tattoos, eye patches, vests, beards, pirate hats, and foam swords.  


Pirate Names
As the pirates are arriving have them choose a pirate name for themselves and write it on a name tag.  Then during the party refer to them by that name. 


Pirate Party Favors

Pirate Hats - find the at the party store or ask   
Long John Silvers for some paper hats
Swords
Temporary washable tattoos
Plastic eye patches
Plastic telescope or compass
Chocolate gold coins
Stuffed parrot


Pirate Goody / Loot Bag Ideas

Wooden treasure chests
Pirate theme or plain black bandanas - tie party favors inside the bandana and tie with a red ribbon or twine.
Brown lunch bags - draw a treasure map on the bags and then mash them in a ball and flatten so it looks like an old treasure map.


Pirate Party Food Ideas

Fish and fries   
Shell pasta and cheese
Meatballs (cannonballs)
Bread Sticks (swords)
Scurvy Dogs in a ship - (hot dogs in white hot dog containers)
Land Lubbers Pizza - have the kids make their own pizzas to look like a pirate treasure map.  Cut out pirate, parrot or "x's" from mozzarella cheese slices
with cookie cutters. 

Pirate Party Invitation Ideas

 

A treasure map is a great Pirate themed invitation idea.   Draw a treasure map that looks like an island on brown paper.  You could even draw a map of your neighborhood or city that looks like its on an island and make a large red "X" that marks the spot of the birthday party.   Below the treasure map print out the party details.  Leave room around the edges of the invitations and after they are printed out burn around the edges to make them look old.  Brown paper grocery sacks also work well for the invitations.  Roll up the treasure map invitation like a scroll, wrap twine around it and secure with a bow. 

A message in a bottle is a great Pirate invitation idea.  Print out party information on a 4 x 5 piece of paper and then roll into a scroll and secure with twine.  Place the invitation into a used water bottle that has the label removed.  Add sand and seashells to the bottle and place the cap on.  Wrap some twine around the bottle cap and give to the people you want to invite to the party. 

 

 

 

Use Pirate language on the invitations such as:

Eeyyyye ye Maties!
We be looking ta celebrate  ____________ (birthday child’s name) day o’ birth.
Sail aboard the _________ (parent's last name) pirate ship.
T’ pirate ship be docked at  t’ port of ______________ (party address).
Ships a sailin’ on ____________ (date)
At the hour the clock strikes  _________ (time)
Ye landlubbers can pick up the young pirates when we dock  _________ (time party ends)
RSVP t’ the Captain t' let us know if we'll be seein’ ya there  ___________(phone # for RSVP).

Pirate Birthday Party Decorations

Decorate the Pirate party with parrots, pirate flags, treasure chests (an easy treasure chest is to use boxes painted like crates or wooden crates painted with the pirate symbol) , gold coins, and brown streamers. 

Decorate the outside of the party entrance to look like a beach with some sand and a pirate chest or flag at the door.  

To make the party entrance look like a treasure map tape down 10" strips of black tape going in a broken line from the sidewalk to the front door. 

On the front door (or party entrance) hang a large red X made from poster board.  The party table can be decorated in white and black (like the pirate flag) with red flatware or napkins. 

Sprinkle chocolate gold coins on top of the party table.  Set out a large treasure chest for the party or food table and fill it with jewelry, coins and pirate loot.  Let some of the pirate loot hang down from the treasure chest and spill onto the table.  You don't have to fill it completely full of treasure ... simply place a gold or white pillow inside the chest and then the pirate loot on top.  Or use the treasure chest to hold goody bags or prizes for the party games. 

Peter Pan Party

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Pirate and Princess